Finished My Cane

[J T]

Bad knees, so carry a cane now. Lost a cane awhile back, and had to buy another - but decided if I lost another, no more buying. So lapped and glued some red oak flooring the oler son had given me. Very solid, ran it thru the planer, to get it down to 1" thick, and roughed out the handle. Then let it sit.

Well, bigger than bear squat, lost my cane. So took the shopmade cane as is, the main shaft 1" X 2 38", and the handle still squared on top. Carried it for a couple of days as is, to see just what I wanted. Then finished it today. The length is good, same as the storebought cane, which I find comfortable to use, and a nice height to lean on. Used the power planer to take down the shaft on both sides, so it's now

1" X 1 1/8", and bandsawed the handle to round it on the outside curve. I was thinking about rounding it, decided not. Then thought about knocking the edges down to an octagon, decided not. Decided to leave it square, so it wouldn't roll off a counter or table top, but did knock down the edgs just a bit.

It's looking pretty decent, but I plan on making one or two more, for just in case. The pieces for the next ones will be taken down to

1/2" X 1" before gluing. This will come up with a better looking cane, and take less time, and effort, to finish. That oak flooring makes for a very sturdy cane. The only actual expense will be some rubber tips for the canes.

The next time I crank the planer up I'll run some pieces thru to glue up three thick, then turn a carver's mallet, and see how that turns out.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker I do not have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.

[DGDevin]

Aside from selling very interesting canes designed for more than just being an aid to walking, this company used to sell blanks with the crook already formed but otherwise unshaped or stained. I don't see that item on their website currently but perhaps they still sell them to those who ask.

[J T]

Sat, Feb 23, 2008, 9:42pm (EST-3) [e-mail] (DGDevin) for some reason did post: Aside from selling very interesting canes designed for more than just being an aid to walking, this company used to sell blanks with the crook already formed but otherwise unshaped or stained. I don't see that item on their website currently but perhaps they still sell them to those who ask.

And your point would be?

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker I do not have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.

[toolman946 via CraftKB.com]

DGDevin... just ignore this a**hole. His only contribution to this site is criticism and sarcasm. I think he's forgotten any manners his Mama taught him.

And I think I know where his lost cane might be... stuck up his hind end!

[Charlie Self]

LOL. I think maybe you need to check whatever back files of rec.woodworking you have access to. JOAT is certainly sarcastic, but to say that's his only contribution to this site, maybe leavened by a touch of criticism, means you have missed the point of probably 85% of his posts. Which is your failing, not his.

[J T]

Sun, Feb 24, 2008, 8:54am (EST+5) u40139@uwe doth sayeth: (toolman946=A0via=A0CraftKB.com) DGDevin... just ignore this a**hole. His only contribution to this site is criticism and sarcasm. I think he's forgotten any manners his Mama taught him. And I think I know where his lost cane might be... stuck up his hind end!

Well, golly, gee. Sure didn't mean to offend someone like you. that's been here on rec.woodworking for so long, like you. Let us know when you've been here all day. LMAO I didn't see the guy's point, unless it was to "biy" an unfinished cane and finish it. Which is why I asked. Missed that, didn't you? But seeing as how this 'is' a "woodworking" newsgroup, not an arts & craft newsgroup, what would be the point of buying? Maybe for you, not for me. Or, possibly he just missed 'my' point, which was it's no biggie to make a cane from scratch; a bit about how I did it, and things I ran into; in other words, anyone can make a cane from scratch. I recall posting a link on how to make canes; I didn't use it myself, except as inspiration.. Anyway, he's a big boy, and can answer for himself. My first cane is acceptable, the next will be better, and so on. For sure 'you' missed my point. Now, eat recycled food, and have a nice next life.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker I do not have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.

[DGDevin]

That someone who wants to make a cane but doesn't want to start from scratch could get a blank from this company and work with that. Of course someone who already has a stick wouldn't need to do that, unless perhaps they're sitting on that stick as you appear to be.

[DGDevin]

Indeed, his woodworking posts are usually interesting, one only has to ignore the sometimes juvenile tone which is generally not hard to do.

[Swingman]

"toolman946 via CraftKB.com" wrote

You really need to stop hiding behind that cherry picking web forum where they must piggy back on Usenet to generate relevance.

[Charley]

Put your phone number on your canes so they can call home.

It works for me.

Charley

[J T]

Sun, Feb 24, 2008, 8:54am (EST-3) [e-mail] (DGDevin) doth sayeth: Firstly: That someone who wants to make a cane but doesn't want to start from scratch could get a blank from this company and work with that.

Oh, OK. That's why I asked.

Secondly: Of course someone who already has a stick wouldn't need to do that, unless perhaps they're sitting on that stick as you appear to be.

Now you're just copying wassisname. Now, eat more recycled food, and have a nice next life.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker I do not have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.

[J T]

Sun, Feb 24, 2008, 1:27pm [e-mail] (Charley) doth sayeth: Put your phone number on your canes so they can call home. It works for me.

That's a thought. On the other hand, it'd probably cost me more in gas to retreive one than it would cost to just make another.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker I do not have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.

[Puckdropper]

[e-mail] (J T) wrote in news:4859-47C1DDB1-812@storefull-

3332.bay.webtv.net:

If you want some free "cane-stock" hang around the local hockey rink. Most guys break their sticks near the blade, and once broken there's not much they can do with them. Stick shafts are usually around 1x2 (as in

1x2 lumber, not 1"x2") in size.

They don't always make good wood for other projects, but I do have a pool cue stand base built with them. :-)

Puckdropper

[J T]

Mon, Feb 25, 2008, 12:16am (EST+5) [e-mail] (Puckdropper) doth sayeth: If you want some free "cane-stock" hang around the local hockey rink.

Their might be a hocky rink around here, but it'd be in the 'big city' if so. And that'd wind up in a lot of gas money for 'free' wood. Of course, you could always ship me a bunch of broken sticks, as a sacrifice for the Woodworking Gods. They'd appreciate it. In the meantime I'll be using oak flooring, and maybe try some free pallet wood.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker I do not have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.

[Lew Hodgett]

SFWIW, the latest and greatest for hockey sticks is epoxy and carbon fiber.

Just one of the reasons cirbon fiber is on allocation.

Lew

[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

True, but lots of folks still play with wooden shafts. A carbon shaft can be $200+, the blade costs extra.

[Charlie Self]

You do NOT want to know what a carbon fiber tripod for your camera would cost, but the cheapest ones are double that blade cost plus some. The most expensive ones...

Wonderful for backpackers and us old farts who try to get out of lifting too much that's heavy.

[DGDevin]

No, I managed to guess that your nickname is Mr. Crankypants all by myself, which doesn't seem to be exactly an uncommon view here. See, it's entirely possible to be interesting and even witty without being pointlessly snotty, give it a try sometime, maintaining that constant sneer must be hard work.

[DGDevin]

Broken pool cues would be another good material but that would mean hanging around biker bars so there might be a chance of being the one the pool cues get broken on.

From talking to the guys at Canemasters their preferred method of finishing is soaking the sticks in mineral oil for 36 hours and then applying several coats of tung oil with progressively finer sanding between coats. The thing about their sticks is they're meant to be more than an aid to walking, they are designed with martial arts/self-defense in mind, they are not the sort of cane one finds in a drug store. For those interested in rolling their own there might be some ideas to be had on the Canemasters web site.

[J T]

Saw how hockey sticks are made on How It's Made. Neat.

Guess I made my original point a bit vague. A lot vague? Vague. What point? What're we talking about. Anyway, making a cane isn't rocket science. Sure, could look better, but needing a cane NOW, it still looks pretty good. Major point, it was a learning experience. I didn't expect it to look beautiful, even if I'd taken a week to make it. It's the first one, a prototype, in fact, even if not in name. When I make something new, I usually go thru several variations, improving each time. I recently made two routing jigs, both from scratch, because the first didn't work as I wanted. Modified another. May have to make a new version of yet another. That's the way it goes sometimes. So the cane is the first version. Acually, it doesn't look real bad, and it IS functionsl. Function was the first requirement, looks second.

I'd been thinking about rounding the shaft of the cane, but won't. I kind like the flat sides, and that leaves space for carving, or painting, or both, designs - which a kid would probably like if they happen to need a cane. I think I may make at least one octagon, later. But all in all the square shaft makes it kinda distinctive. I was going to round the handle too, but found e straight sides are quite comfortable, so don't plan on rounding any of them. The inside of the handle was cut with a 5" hole saw. Just right.

I suppose the final point is, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to make a cane. Just make one, see how it turns out, then make another one, and make it better. Repeat until you get something you like. I need to double-check, but I think rubber crutch tips are less expensive then rubber cane tips. And, if I recall right, there are rubber tips that go on furniture legs that cost even less. Hell, glue some 1/2" plywood strips together, nothing says you 'have' to use solid wood. Ive got a woodburner that gets little use, and those flat sides would make a nice place to burn some designs on.

JOAT

10 Out Of 10 Terrorists Prefer Hillary For President - Bumper Sticker I do not have a problem with a woman president - except for Hillary.